The present invention relates in general to electronic timing devices and electronic coin sensing devices and, in particular to electronic parking meters.
Both mechanical and electronic parking meters are known in the prior art and typically are responsive to the insertion of a coin to time an interval during which a vehicle is parked in an appropriate space associated with the parking meter. The timing interval is determined by the number and value of the coins which are inserted into the parking meter. Also, memory cards and smart cards may be used with electronic parking meters.
Since electronic parking meters must operate with batteries, solar power, or combinations thereof, the amount of power which the electronic parking meter uses is of prime importance in effective operation of the parking meter. The present invention provides an electronic parking meter which conserves power and places less power demands on the power source used with the electronic parking meter than in prior art parking meters.